1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a loading apparatus adapted to load and unload a storage medium such as a card-type memory device with ease and provided with a feature of preventing loading of a wrong storage medium from taking place.
2. Description of the Related Art
Known loading apparatus for loading and unloading a card-type memory device containing a semiconductor memory (to be referred to as IC card hereinafter) typically comprise a holder operating as card holding section for holding an IC card and an eject mechanism for discharging the IC card held in the card holding section. The holder is provided with a connector to be connected to the corresponding terminal arranged at the leading edge of the IC card. Thus, as the IC card is inserted into the holder through the loading slot arranged at the front end of the holder with its leading edge provided with the connection terminal facing forward, it becomes to be substantially entirely contained in the holder with the connection terminal engaged with the connector to establish electric connection therebetween. Then, the IC card contained in the holder is removed therefrom by depressing the eject button arranged near the loading slot because the IC card is pushed out of the eject mechanism under the pressure of the depressed eject button.
As pointed out above, when taking out the IC card contained in the holder, the user is required to depress the eject button connected to the loading apparatus by applying pressure that is large enough to cancel the engagement of the connection terminal of the IC card and the connector. The loading apparatus has a size substantially same as the IC card and hence the eject button is very small. Therefore, the eject button shows a poor operability when it is heavy.
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide a transfer apparatus that is free from the above identified problem of the related art.
According to the invention, the above object is achieved by providing a transfer apparatus for transferring a storage medium comprising:
a holder for holding a storage medium, said holder being adapted to move between a first position for loading and unloading said storage medium and a second position for containing said storage medium on the chassis of the apparatus;
a connector arranged in said holder and adapted to be connected to the terminal section of said storage medium when said holder is at said first position; and
a restriction member for restricting the movement of said holder from said first position to said second position until said connector is connected to said terminal section.
In another aspect of the invention, there is also provided a transfer apparatus for transferring a storage medium comprising:
a holding means for holding a storage medium, said holding means being adapted to move between a first position for loading and unloading said storage medium and a second position for containing said storage medium on the chassis of the apparatus;
a connection means arranged in said holding means and adapted to be connected to the terminal section of said storage medium when said holding means is at said first position; and
a restriction means for restricting the movement of said holding means from said first position to said second position until said connection means is connected to said terminal section.
In still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a transfer method for transferring a storage medium comprising the steps of:
inserting a storage medium into a holder;
restricting said holder to remain at a first position;
connecting the terminal section of said storage medium and the connector arranged in said holder;
cancelling said restriction on said holder at the time of said connection; and
starting to move said holder holding said storage medium toward a second position for containing said holder upon the cancellation of said restriction.
In still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a transfer method for transferring a storage medium comprising the steps of:
inserting a storage medium into a holder;
connecting the terminal section of said storage medium and the connector arranged in said holder;
cancelling said restriction on said holder at the time of said connection; and
starting to drive said holder holding said storage medium to move toward a second position for containing said holder upon the cancellation of said restriction.
In still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a transfer apparatus for transferring a storage medium comprising:
a connection means adapted to be connected to the terminal section of a storage medium; and
a transfer means for transferring said storage medium from a first position to a second position under the condition where said connection means is connected to said terminal section.
In still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a transfer method for transferring a storage medium comprising steps of:
connecting a connection means to the terminal section of a storage medium; and
transferring said storage medium from a first position to a second position under the condition where said connection means is connected to said terminal section.
With a loading apparatus according to the invention, the operation of inserting the storage medium into the holder and that of taking out the storage medium from the holder at the first position are carried out by the user because the holder is provided with a connector that is adapted to move integrally with the holder. Therefore, the force required to move the holder from the first position to the second position and mount the storage medium in position and the force required to move the storage medium from the second position to the first position where it is ready to be taken out can be minimized to the convenience of the user trying to insert or release the storage medium.
With a loading apparatus according to the invention, the restriction member makes the holder movable to a second position by releasing the restricting section and the engaging section of the chassis from the mutual engagement when the holder located at a first position is inserted into the storage medium holding section of the holder in a normal state where the terminal section of the storage medium is connectable to the connector of the holder. In other words, if the storage medium is inserted in an abnormal state, the restricting section and the engaging section are not released from the mutual engagement and hence the holder is prohibited from moving from the first position to the second position. As a result, the storage medium is prevented from being inserted in a wrong way.